


Abrupt Ends Deserve Soft Resets

by Synxailla



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Character Study, Gen, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Endgame, Stephen Strange & Wong Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-29 04:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18771148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synxailla/pseuds/Synxailla
Summary: Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange, Head of the Sanctum Sanctorum, Protector of Reality, Keeper of the Time Stone, MD, has done a lot of sacrifices to fulfill his roles. But now he's re-dedicated himself to his new life's work. Which apparently includes being part of a collective effort to save half of all living population in the universe.





	Abrupt Ends Deserve Soft Resets

**Author's Note:**

> A short transcript of a big fix-it fic that I may never get to complete before the next MCU movie comes out. Canon-divergence is my friend.

Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange, Head of the Sanctum Sanctorum, Protector of Reality, Keeper of the Time Stone, MD, has done a lot of sacrifices to fulfill his roles.

But contrary to what one might expect, the sacrifices he's done did not make him any less greedy.

Yes, he was humbled -- oh boy was there never such a humbling experience as being literally stripped of your mortal body and having your astral form, your literal mind  _and_  soul, have a beating session, hours on end. It gave him perspective he hasn't had since his arrogance took over his personality under the guise of something as similar yet as different as _Pride_.

Once he had that perspective back, he was humbled. He changed his ways. He rededicated himself to his life's work.

His new life's work. Which apparently includes being part of a collective effort to save half of all living population in the universe.

Stephen has always been a collector of sorts. The collection he's most proud of was knowledge. When it comes to knowledge, he lets his greed run pretty much free to take and take and take in everything it can.

He doesn't discriminate, (he's had practice, when patients come in he operates and treats them fairly, whether the person on his table is a victim or an abuser, he works blindly as was his oath: do no harm) dark or light magic, constructive or destructive science, he hoards them all.

Stephen knows how to store all kinds of knowledge in the recesses of his mind, a maze only he knew how to navigate. He knows how to keep them safe. He knows how to use them. He knows which ones to spread, and which ones to bury…

And what to do with them that will reap the most benefit in the end.

There is no one he trusts more than himself to know what to do with the most morally questionable knowledge in existence. Just like his predecessor's philosophy before him, and also like what he's heard from Captain Rogers in many of the timelines he's visited recently, in desperation of trying to scour any spec of solution to Thanos's plans.

_In the end the safest hands are still our own._

Even if his are shaking so bad he could never pick up a scalpel ever again. He feels them tremble as he holds back the wall of water, keeping it away from the fight. He feels them struggle to close, to hold his index finger up. He feels them shake, even as he keeps a steady gaze across the battle field. Holding firm eye contact with Tony Stark.

He sees in Stark's eyes a reflection of his own resignation, mixed with the steel determination he knows he won't ever forget. Just as he's seen from his visit to this timeline back in Titan.

The only time they ever win.

And the scene plays out just like he's seen. Down to a tee. Everyone with their part to play. Just like Tony… Just like Stephen.

Stephen finally manages to drive the water back and hold it in place, with the help of some fellow sorcerers which were freed from the fight as soon as Thanos' forces turned to dust. As soon as he's free he's running.

He sees Tony just as Pepper Potts smiles and soothes her husband. He knows without turning that Peter Parker is crying his heart out with Colonel Rhodes holding him, trying to hold both of them together. He also knows that the other heroes, exhausted as they may be, will still have enough strength to come together and see this thing to the end, help each other recover and rebuild. They will mourn their loss, and then move on. Because that's all the choice they get.

Just as he's seen. Everyone playing their part.

This is the end of his battle. He knows he has no more part in this. But he's also a stubborn wizard and is armed with more knowledge than anyone, and he's competent enough to use it.

And besides he wouldn't be himself if he accepted failure without exhausting all his options.

From a man who's experienced death countless times, in all manners of gruesome ways, by the hands of a creature larger than life, all in exchange for keeping the world safe, Stephen figures saving one life with no imminent threat against it besides the damage done to his physique from simultaneously using all six of the Infinity Stones that keep realities together, should be doable.

Besides he used to be an exceptional surgeon, and also currently a Sorcerer Supreme. So yes, he has those working for him.

Stephen knows by now that Wong is by his side. He turns to regard him. Unaccustomed still, to the feeling of looking at someone and knowing they have your back.

That they will stand and fight with you. That they will eat expensive takeout with you. That they will tolerate you despite knowing how you can be a bit of a bastard and choosing to be with you anyway.

It was something he was going to have to learn how to handle.

"I need your help," Stephen says to Wong, and relishes the feeling he gets when a plan forms lightning fast in his head, "We're going to save Tony Stark."

 

 -X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

**Author's Note:**

> This WIP’s been rattling in my head since I watched the film and... I know if I wait when I have more of it more fleshed out before posting then I may never get to post, so... yeah okay this is incomplete but I cut it in a way where it’s both abrupt but finished (at least from my eyes). My plan is to turn this into a multi-chaptered fic with each chapter being on a different character’s POV, because I have a lot of feels for a lot of characters and I want to explore all of them even though I will probably procrastinate and life will probably get in the way before I write the rest in this decade... but I still wanted to post this because I’m in a fix-it mood and yeah ok i’ll stop now. Thanks for reading.


End file.
